My head hurt. I couldn't even sit up. The rough, uncomfortable texture that pressed against my face reminded me of the night before. Mom and Dad! I sat up. Too fast. My mind fuzzed up with pain. I held my head, flexing my toes as if it would help.

"Here," A deep, gentle voice sounded, "this should help." I didn't open my eyes, but the smell of hot tea wafted under my nose. I loved hot tea. Opening on eye I saw a small cup with no handle in front of me with brown steaming liquid in front of me. My stomach (which I hadn't responded to earlier) cried out greedily for it, so I took it and gulped it down to satisfy its painful cries. My head ache slowed, and was soon no more.

When I looked around I almost choked. I wasn't in the den anymore. In fact, I wasn't even at home. The voice chuckled softly, "I thought you might be a little shocked." I nodded, looking around the room. It was a windowed room, and the front of the room had a wooded wall with a wide door, perhaps doubled. Above it was a strange symbol, almost like a rounded pitchfork. The floor was covered with tatami mats.

A figure crouched beside me. A man, he was Caucasian with black hair and brown eyes, and he wore a traditional Japanese robe. "It was much too dangerous," he explained, "So I brought you here. Where it's safer."

I looked at him carefully, "How did you know?"

The man smiled, "I suppose the same way you find out about a cat in the road."

I thought for a moment, "You saw it? You saw those men come?"

He nodded, "They go by the name of the Purple Dragons, I suppose you could say their New York's main gang."

"Purple Dragons…" I murmured. That would explain the purple dragon tattoos. "My parents?" I choked out, scared to hear the answer.

The man frowned, and placed a hand on my shoulder shaking his head. I bit my lip and felt the tears come. "I'm sorry, child," he murmured. "Perhaps they've gone to a better place, if you please."

I nodded, "They went to Heaven." Though what hurt me most was that this was the second time. The second time I lost my parents. Was me having parents just not meant to be?

My mom couldn't remind me of my manners now, and I wasn't going to let her. Plus, I was curious. "What's your name?" I inquired.

"For the best of things, you have no need to know," the man smiled, "but I do request you call me Master."

I sat there for a moment, dumbfounded. "For what reason?" And if you ask that's a rather, if I may say, moronic name.

"Ah, curious aren't we?" Master chuckled. "I am going to train you to help me stand up to, and finally bring down my enemies, the turtles." He spat out the last word with such vengeance, I flinched.

"Y-you mean Raphael and his brothers?" I asked timidly, almost afraid he would turn on me.

Master smiled, "So you know a little of them. Do you know what they are, other than humanoid turtles?"

I thought for a moment. I did remember Raph saying he was a ninja in training…and that was six years ago. "Ninjas?" I answered, uncertain."

"Smart as well I see," Master paced with his hands behind his back. "Yes, and it is of which you shall be."

"Why don't you like them? The turtles?" I asked out of curiosity, if I were to be fighting against them I would like to know why.

"Ah, two wise men never get much out of each other for one asks too many questions and the other gives two few questions," Master turned away, staring out a window with his hands behind his back. "You will find out soon enough."

I nodded, staring at the tatami covered floor, why was he immediately taking me in?

"A lot of questions swim in your mind, Cally Phisher," Master turned around, but did not look at me, instead his eyes wandered till they stopped on a glass case with a ruined suit of armor. "Questions I can answer."

I gawked at him. He knew my name?! Seriously, was this guy some kind of mind reader? And did want answers, I had to admit.

Then Master looked down on me, "But, these answers will not come now."

I stared at the floor, crestfallen, and confused. It all felt like a strange dream. Mom and Dad couldn't possibly be gone. No way. I was probably just asleep. I would wake up and everything would be back to normal.

"Karia!" Master called out suddenly, breaking the tensioning silence. Then he looked at me, "You need to rest Cally, a lot of answers will be given to you soon."

"Yes, Master?" A strong defiant woman's voice called out. I didn't bother look, I was too dizzy.

"Young Cally is to rest now," Master explained, "show her to her room."

"Yes, Master," Karia answered. "Follow me, Cally."

I nodded; standing up, not too fast though in fear of a dizzy spell, I ran to catch up with Karia.

Karia had already walked back out a back door, behind a small stage with a table and seat pillow. She had short black hair and wore a slick black uniform. I followed her into a long hall.

"You'll get one too," She said shortly, noticing me stair. I nodded, then looked about the hall. A Japanese-like pattern with red pillars echoing down the wall, and the floor was hardwood.

"You're still in shock," Karia noted, "It will wear off soon, don't be surprised. It leaves you tired, but food and rest help."

I nodded again, not quite sure what to say. I noticed her feet made no sound, feeling ashamed of my noisy steps I stared at the wall again. Mom always said I was hasty to readjust. Could that be a bad thing?

Karia stopped in front of a plain wooden door. Pushing it open she put a hand out into the room. "This one's yours."

I stepped inside. There was a bed. It was, or looked like, a mattress on a piece of carved mahogany wood. The wood was dark and shined in the dim light, and it had two drawers on each side of it. Karia flipped on a striped lamp that stood on a small nightstand.

"This is where your clothes are to be put," Karia pointed to a tall wooden dresser. "I'm right down the hall, first door to the right, if you need anything." She nodded her head in a small bow and turned out, closing the door behind her.

The wall was real bamboo. I ran my hand across the uneven light green columns. On my bed the mattress was what appeared to be a Chinese style painting on fabric, but it was most likely Japanese. I felt tears come. My stuffed sock monkey my parents gave me when I moved in with them was on the bed, sitting against the plain white pillow. It wasn't a dream, was it?

I grabbed Socky and lay down on the bed, holding him against me. I broke into sobs.

This wasn't a dream, they really were gone.